Alchemy

The Kybalion

 

The Kybalion is a text by an anonymous author, or authors, which gives a very succinct but easy-to-read summary of Hermetic principles. It lists seven and goes into detail of each. The book in its entirety can be downloaded below:

 

The Kybalion

 

I would highly recommend reading and studying this book, as gives a firm foundation in Hermeticism which can greatly help understand the work done in the alchemist's lab.

 

The following is a summary of the book.

 

The Seven Hermetic Principles

• The Principle of Mentalism

• The Principle of Correspondences

• The Principle of Vibration

• The Principle of Polarity

• The Principle of Rhythm

• The Principle of Cause and Effect

• The Principle of Gender

The Principle of Mentalism

Everything is Mind: Everything is manifested through the mental creation of the Universal Mind. This is akin to the way we humans create mental images, just as if we were to create our own Universe in our own minds, building it up bit by bit. As we are dwelling within the Universal Mind, your possibilities and opportunities are endless.

 

The Principle of Correspondences

"As Above, so Below; As Below, so Above." You'll recognize this as an excerpt from the Emerald Tablet. This means that there will always be a correspondence between the laws and phenomena of the different planes of Being (remember the Tree of Life) and Life, which facilitates a harmony between them. At this point the book goes into detail about these varied planes of Being, which is very close to the Tree of Life.

 

The Principle of Vibration

Everything is in motion, whether it be a vibrating string of a musical instrument or the center of every single atom. This means that everything vibrates, and as a distinct rate of vibration. Nothing is at rest, for if there was no vibration, nothing would happen, everything would be at a standstill. The differences between different manifestations of Matter, Energy, and even Spirit (energy of Life) result largely from varying rates of vibration.

All particles of matter are in circular movement. This is exemplified on a grand scale, such as the movement of the planets around the Sun, as well as on the microscopic scale, such as the movement of the electrons around their nucleus in an atom.

 

All manifestation of though, emotion, reason, will or desire, or any mental state or condition, are accompanied by vibrations, a portion of which are thrown off and which tend to affect the minds of others by "induction;" psychics are especially receptive to this, allowing for such manifestations as telepathy.

 

The Principle of Polarity

Everything is dual (except in the Absolute). Thesis and antithesis are identical in nature but different in degree. Everything has its opposite. All is a matter of degree. The two poles, thesis and antithesis, can be classified as Positive and Negative. The Positive always dominates the Negative.

 

The Principle of Rhythm

An example of this principle is the swing of a pendulum. There is always an swing in one direction, then the other. This is in the affairs of the Universe: Suns, worlds, people, animals, mind, energy, matter, the rise and fall of nations, the life of all things. This is especially so in the mental states of the mind, a topic especially important to Hermeticists: To be able to control your moods and emotions is of utmost importance. The Master can polarize him or herself to one end of the swing, avoiding the swing in the opposite direction, ie. stay in a joyful mood and avoid the swing towards sorrow or anger. This can also be applied to everyday life: No matter how bad things can get, the pendulum must always swing the other way.

 

The Principle of Cause and Effect

There is a cause for every effect - absolutely nothing happens by chance. We must become a cause and not an effect. Many debate Free Will vs. Determinism: Both are correct, actually.

 

The Princple of Gender

Everything has its masculine and feminine aspects, not only on the physical plane, but the spiritual and mental planes as well. On the physical, this manifests as sex in order to procreate. On the higher planes it takes on higher forms, but the principle is the same. No creation, physical, mental or spiritual, can take place without this principle. Which calls to mind the Law of the Triangle:

 

The Law of the Triangle

For every manifestation, there must be an active or masculine force joined with a passive or feminine force, which creates the third point of the triangle: the manifestation.